Paper feed device



May 12 1942- M. ARTzT PAPER-FEED DEVICE Fi1ed June 28, 1938 3Sheets-Sheet yl Maar 5V ATTORNEYl May 12, 1942 M. ARTZT PAPER FEEDDEVICE Filed June 28, 19558 5, Sheets-Sheet 2 WYE/Vm@ JY ,l

' ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1942 PAPER FEED DEVICE Maurice Artzt,Haddoniield, N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, acorporation of Delaware Continuation of application Serial No. 52,353,November 30, 1935. This application June 28, 1938, Serial No. 216,208 Y2 claims. (ci. 234-70) My invention relates to paper feed devices. Moreparticularly, my invention relates to a paper-feed mechanism which iscapable of very accurately maintaining the alignment of a paper stripand a printing member, such as is used in watch-timingdevices and thelike, and of feeding a paper strip through a printing mechanism withouta take-up roll or moving device operating on the strip after theprinting operation has been performed, thus making the recordimmediately available for observation or removal.

This application :is a continuation of my U. S. application Serial No.52,353, led November 30, 1935, and entitled Chronometer deviationrecorders, which application has been abandoned.

I am aware that there are a great many different methods of feedingpaper from a roll through a machine. However, there are certain types ofmachines which have' particular problems and which therefore necessitatethe consideration of requirements which are somewhat unusual. Forexample, in a watch-timing chronometer of the type disclosed inmyabove-identified copending application, the time deviation f a watch isrecorded on ,a moving paper strip. The error of the watch is shownby thetrace of a line which is printed on the strip, the angle made by theline and the edge of the paper being a measure of the watch error. To bepractical, such a device must indicate in a few minutes errors amountingto only a few seconds a day. Obviously, great accuracy is necessary. Oneessential to the fulfillment of such accuracy is the maintenance ofperfect alignment between the recording paper and the printingmechanism.

It is also highly desirable to have a paper feed which does notinterfere with the paperfafter it has passed through the printermechanism. The reason for this is that it is frequently desirable toremove the 'printed portion of the paper from the machine as soon as ithas been printed. For example, in facsimile recorders and the like, itis desirable to tear off the paper as soon as a page has been completelyprinted. A paper feed which pulls the paper through the printer makesthis impossible. 4

Further considerations are that the paper must be fed at a uniformspeed, that the system must provide for the easy and quick insertion ofnew paper rolls and, in cases where a strip of carbon paper is also fedthrough the rollers, that it be possible to adjust the speed of thecarbon paper independently of the paper speed.

One of the objects of the present invention is to providean improvedpaper-feed device for use with apparatus for timing watches and similardevices where great accuracy of alignment is required. i

Another object is to provide a paper-fee mechanism which operates at auniform rate.

A further objectof my invention is to provide a paper-feed mechanismwhich permits the removal of that portion of the paper which has beenprinted, or otherwise affected, immediately after it has been soaltered.

A further object is to.provide means in a chronometer deviationindicator, or the like, whereby carbon paper and record printing papermay be readily attached to the machine.

My invention will be better understood from the following descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. Its scopeis indicated by the appended claims. Similar reference numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout the several drawings.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the ponent parts which are usedin a system for recording the time'deviation of watches and the Figure 2illustrates two typical printed records made by a watch-testing device,indicating the nature of the record made by the machine,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a paper-feed mechanism according to thisinvention as applied to a watch-timing chronometer, and

Figure 4 is the elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1 a watch, clock, or lother time piece is placed on a crystalmicrophone 3 so that the metallic part of the time piece touches ametalpin (not shown) which is located in the center of the microphone.connected to a suitable microphone amplifier 5 which reproduces inamplified form currents generated in the crystal microphone 3 by thelbeats or ticks of the time piece.

The currents fromthe microphone amplifier 5 the microphone currents arechanged to current impulses which are further amplified.

The current impulses from the printer amplifier 9 operate the printermotor 1. This motor is an electromagnetic device which operates a com-vThe `crystal microphone I isy lare not of suitable wave form for'actuating the printer bar Il. The printer bar Il is positionedimmediately above a drum I3 which revolves at 'a constant predeterminedspeed. On the surface of the drum is a single raised helical `turn I5.Between the helical drum I3 and the printer bar.

` II are passed a sheet of printing paper I1 and a sheet of carbon paperI9. Each downward stroke' of the printer bar II, which is actuated byeach ,tick of the time piece I, causes the carbon paper I9 to impress onthe record printing paper -I1 a mark corresponding vto the instantaneousposition of the helix I5.

If the time piece ticks occur at the proper predetermined rate, which isrelated to the speed of the drum as will hereinafter be described, theprinter bar will always strike at the same points on the helix. If,however, the watch is running slowly, the printed record oi' the printerbar striking the helix will show drift. A series of 'e simplecalculations will show how slowly the watch is running in terms ofseconds per day. In a similar manner, if the watch is running too fast,the printed record will disclose a drift which may likewise be measuredin terms of seconds gain per day.

In order that the drum may be revolved at l quency unit 23 are used tocontrol the operation of a thermionic inverter device 25. This inverterconverts direct current into alternating current whose frequency isequal to one-eighth of `the frequency standard. If the frequencystandard could supply sumcient power at the lower frequency, theinverter would not be needed. In any event, the constant frequencyalternating current generated by the inverter operates the lchronographmotor 2l at constant speed. Directly connected to the chronograph motoris the drum I3 carrying the helical element I5. l. have also found itdesirable to use this vsame motor by means of speed-reducing gears todrive the carbon paper I9 and record printing paper I'I over the drum.The power for `the several ampliersmay be supplied by the storagebatteries or alternating current which V may be rectified and ltered inthe usual manner. The cathode heaters of the several thermionic tubesmay be energized by alternating current or any convenient source of.power.

Since my invention is primarily directed to the means by which I utilizethe motor 2| to drive is fastened to a suitable base 33. Behind thepaper-guide plate 3| and suitably fastened there to is a synchronousinduction motor 2|. The shaft 31 of this motor projects through theupright supporting member and carries a rotating drum I3 on which isfastened in a suitable groove a raised single turn helix I5. Anextension of this shaft 31 projecting through the rear portion of themotor operates speed-reducing gears which are locatedwithin the housing43 but are not shown. A shaft 45, connected to the speedreducing gears,projects from the speed-reducing y gear housing. A bevel gear 4i on theend of this the paper, I shall not describe in detail the severalamplifiers, rectiflers, frequency standard and inverter. These elementsare well known to those skilled in the art, are commercially available,and require no detailed description. By way of example, I have found thefollowing elements entirely suitable: RCA .tuning fork frequencystandard type GM 53A3, RCA inverter type GM 52D1, RCA microphoneamplifler'type GM 103A1,

and RCA printer amplifier GM 77A1.

I shall now describe the paper-feed mechanism `and the movable elementsof the chronograph shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A paper-guide plate 3| shaftengages a second bevel gear t3 which operates a slow-speed shaft 5Iwhich supplies the power for driving the carbon paper and record printerpaper over the rotating drum.

A drive gear 53 is fastened to the end ofthe slow-speed shaft. Thisdrive gear 53 engages an idler gear 55 which is held in engagement by adetent springl 54. The idler gear 55 engages a driven gear 51 which isfixed to a irnurled paper feed roll 59 and to a suitable sprocketi. Thissprocket 6I is connected by a chain 63 to a second sprocket G5 whichrotates on a stud 51. Concentrically fastened to the second sprocket isa small sprocket 6s. This sprocket GS by means of a chainll drives alarge sprocket' which is fastened to a carbon takeup roll 15. The carbontakeup roll I5 and its associate sprocket 'I3 rotate on a suitable stud'Il whichl is fastened to 'the upright supporting member 3 I A pivotedarm I9 carries an idler roll 8i which engages the knurled paper feedroll 59. A detent spring 93 engaging thearm 'I9 forces the idler SI anda paper guide85, both idler and guide being carried by the arm, into.constant frlctional engagement with the paperfeed roll.

In Fig. 4 the printer motor has been indicated at 'I. To avoid confusionit l'has not been shown in Fig. 3. The printer motor consistsessentially of an electromagnetic field piece 89 which oper-v ates on amovable armature 9I. Attached to the armature 9| is a connecting link 93which fastens to the printer bar II. The printer bar II is held inposition by a flexible spring member 91 which is mounted to the rear ofthe electromagnetic elements. As the armature 9| moves, the connectinglink 93 causes the printer bar II to move up and down with respect tothe drum carrying the helical member. '.Io provide sunlcient restoringforce to the armature, a restoring spring 99 and connecting link IUI areconnected from the top 'of the printer motor to the armature.

Since the carbon paper I9 and the printing paper I'I must be threadedbetween the printer bar and the drum. I have found it desirable toarrange a suitable means for disengaging the printer motor and the paperdrive mechanism. This is accomplished as follows: A suitable cam III ismounted on a pivot II3 and fastened to a handle II 5.' The cam surfacepreferably includes a depression III which temporarily locks the printermotor in the ldisengaged position. As the the printer motor assembly israised by the cam action, the link |2| likewise carries with it the lidler gear.

It will be seen that the idler gear 55 is also supported by an arm |22which is pivoted on a stud |25 fastened to the upright supportingmember. The detent spring Il, previously described, engages this arm andthe printer motor assembly so that in the raised position the detentspring acts to f orce the printer motor assembly downward andfrictionally engage the depression in the cam surface against the camfollower pin thereby locking the printer motor in the raised position.In the downward position of the printer motor assembly, the same detentspring 54 the printer bar striking the helix through the two papers willcause a mark to be made on the printing paper. 'I'he adjustment |01 ofthe printer motor mechanism and the power applied thereto should be justsufficient to make a legible mark. Having described 'the method .bywhich th l paper is threaded through the machine, 1t win be holds theidler gear 55 in engagement with the drive gear 53 and driven gear 51and further acts to hold the printer motor assembly in its lowerposition.

The movable elements of the chronograph may be enclosed in a suitablehousing |21,` A door |29 is hinged to this housing. A cap screw. |3|locks the door in place. A pair of spring arms |33 are fastenedto thedoor. These springarms thrust against a `roll |35 of carbon paper I3 anda roll |31 of printer paper I1 holding them inthe proper positionagainst the paper guide plate 3| which is mounted o n the supportingmember 33 and perpendicular thereto.

To place the rolls |35|31 in the machine the doorA |28 attached to thehousing is opened. A roll |31 of printer paper I1 is Positioned on astud |39 located on the right and slightly below the rotating drum i3.'Ihe paper |1 is fed from the bottom of the roll over the knurledpaperfeed screw 59. The pivot arm 1I is disengaged during the operationof threading the paper to thereby disengage the idler roll 3| which iscarried by the arm 13.

A roll |35 of carbon paper I3 is positioned on a stud |4| located to theleft of and slightly apparent that, when the motor is running at `aconstant speed, the printing paper will be fed to the helix drum at aconstant linear rate. That is,.the paper is pulled from the roll |31 bythe knurled paper feed roll 59, and fed between the printing helix I5and the printer bar The direction of rotation of the feed roll 59 andthe printing cylinder I3 has been made the same, as shown by the arrowspointing in a clockwise direction in Fig. 4. Consequently, the highspeed of rotation of the printing cylinder tends to pull the paperalong, overcoming any tendency of the intermittently operating printingbar to retard the paper whilethe feed roll acts as a regulator torestrain the paper and 'to maintain a uniform speed.A It is to be notedthat the paper is fed through the printer Without a takeup roll to pullit through and yet without any buckling. The' carbon paper will be drawnthrough the machine and around the printer motor mechanism at a ratewhich is variable.

The carbon paper moves from one-quarter to' one-half of the printingpaper speed. The car-l bon paper speed is determined by the ratios of vway of example. This means that the. helix,

below the rotating drum. The carbon paper takeoff is from the top of thecarbon paper roll. It is carried over a guide stud |25, under theprinter bar Il, and around the entire printer motor mechanism which issurrounded by a shell |43 which acts as a suitable guide ,for the carbonpaper. The carbon paper is continued from the top of the printer motormechanism around the lower part of the carbon take-up roll 15. It iswell to wrap one o r two turns around this roll to secure initialfrictional engagement thereto. Both the paper roll and the carbon paperroll are thrust against the paper guide plate 3| by the spring arms|33.v y,

Care must be taken to thread the record paper through the paper feedroll so that it will run true and not on a bias.` After the. paper hasbeen correctly positioned, the plvot'ed arm 19, carrying the idler andthe paper guide, is released so that the recording paper is pressed rmlyagainst the paper feed roll. It is well to carry' the printing paperthree or four rinches past the drum carrying the helical member.

After the two papers have been threaded' through the machine, it will beapparent that the carbon paper is on top oi' the printing paper. Theprinter motor 1 is then released from its upper position. 'I'his lowersthe printer motor 1 and engages the idler gear with the drive gear 53and the driven gear 51. In this position the printer motor mechanism isadJusted so that in its downward position the printer bar will strikethe helixthrough the layers of carbon and record printing paper. Eachdownward stroke of cio which consists of a single turn of 2" length,will travel across the paper at a constant rate of 2" for everyrevolution of the motor drum. At the same time the paper is fed over thedrum at a constant rate of 2" per minute.

If the Watch or time piece under observation is operating at 4; 5 or 6beats per second with- Iout deviation from the standard, the printer barwill be operated by current impulses derived from each beat, and willstrike the rotating helix at the same point for everybeat. This willleave a printed record consisting of parallel lines winch are uniformlyspaced from the edge of the paper..

If the time piece beats `or ticks deviate from the true time or standardfrequency, the ticks as recorded will print a series of lines whichslope one way or the other across the paper. The slope of a line throughthecenters or terminations of these lines will indicate the rateyat'which the time piece isy gaining or losing with respect to thestandard time or frequency.

By way of example, if the printed record indi cates a drift of 1/8'. ina 6" length of paper, this corresponds to an error of 1 second per day.Since .the paper speed vis 2" per minute, it should be quite apparentthat one and one-half minutes of recording requires 3" of paper which issufficient to disclose a drift of 11g" which corresponds to an error of1 second a day. Likewise, 1/8" drift in 12" of recording paper would be1/2 second per day or 1/5" in 3 olf-recording paper would be equivalentto 2 seconds per day. The error in seconds per day may be expressed inaccordance with the formula for a single turn helix drum speed of 1800revolutions per minute, and a paper speed of 2" per minute:

Error-in seconds per day: length of record in inches The direction ofthe slope of the record indicates Whether the time piece is operatedfast orl slow with respect to the standard. If the line slopes downtoward the right, the time piece is running too fast. If the line slopesup to the right, the time piece is running too slow. It is apparent thatit is essential that the paper be maintained in a uniform position withrespect to the printing mechanism. Side slip of the paper is equivalentto an apparent error in the time piece. In Fig. 2 are reproducedcharacteristic records `which show, respectively, the deviation of aslow and fast time piece.

While E have described my invention in connection with a watch timingchronometer, my invention is not limited thereto but isl only limited asrequired by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

ll. In a recorder mechanism having a rotatingV helical 'member and aprinter bar for engaging and marking a recording strip, feed meansincluding the combination I means for supporting a roll of recordingstrip, a constant speed strip feed roll and idler for feeding said strip48 x drift in inches from said roll between said helical member andprinter bar in the same direction as paid member tends to feed it, andmeans for rotating said feed roll at a peripheral speed less than thatof said helical member so that said helical member exerts a frictionalpulling force on said recording strip overcoming any tendency of saidprinter bar to retard said strip, whereby said strip is fed through saidrecorder at a constant speed determined by the speed of said feed roll.

2. In a recorder mechanism having a rotating printing member andpressure means for intermittently frictionally engaging said printingmember, paper feed means including the combination of a paper feed rollfor fee a recording paper between said printing member and said pressuremeans in the same direction as said printing member tends to feed it sothat said i paper is frictionally and slidably engaged by said recorderand urged in a direction away from said feed roll, the speed of thesurface of said feed roll being less than the speedof -the surface ofsaid printing member, whereby any `tendency of the intermittentfrictional engagement of the paper by the pressure means t'o retard themovement of said paper through said recorder is overcome, and said paperpasses through said printer at a constant speed determined by the speedof said paper feed roll. l

` MAURICE ARTZT.

